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The Camas Soil Conservation District is located in the south central area of
Idaho on a high prairie just fifteen miles wide and thirty miles long at an elevation of just over five thousand feet. While
it has an agricultural based economy, the county boasts of an excellent downhill ski area and various winter and summer recreation
opportunities. The Prairie is watered by many small streams and creeks,
most of which drain into Camas Creek which eventually flows into Magic Reservoir which is responsible for irrigating many
thousands of acres of cropland. It is the sediment being transported by the streams into Magic Reservoir that is currently
the main thrust of the Camas Soil Conservation District activities. The
history of the Camas Soil Conservation District illustrates how people have a developed a new way of thinking about natural
resources since the District was formed in 1957. It is an ironic history because today the Camas SCD's top priority is of
correcting a problem it helped create years ago when landowners, with government approval and support, straightened many stretches
of streams and removed willows from the streambanks to gain cropland, The resulting erosion changed the course of not just
the creeks, but of the Camas Soil Conservation District.
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Tuesday, December 13, 2011
visit us on our Facebook Page!!
Camas Soil Conservation District is pleased to be linked with other Idaho soil districts, state and federal conservation activities and news on our
FACEBOOK PAGE (<< click on it to go there now)
12:05 pm est
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
1:26 pm edt
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Immediate News ReleaseSAGE-GROUSE RECOVERY GETS BOOST FROM USDA
FUNDING Boise, Idaho, July 1, 2011
— The U.S. Department of Agriculture is sending the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Idaho an additional $5.5
million to help conserve critical sage-grouse habitats. The funding is to establish conservation easements through the Grassland
Reserve Program that will maintain large tracts of sagebrush habitat important to sage-grouse. Landowners may apply for this
program through July 20, 2011. Studies show that fragmented
habitat is the primary cause of sage-grouse population decline. One way landowners can help maintain continuous sagebrush
habitat for the bird is through the service’s voluntary Grassland Reserve Program. This program limits future development
of private rangeland using conservation easements; landowners still retain grazing rights to the land. “Farm Bill programs like the Grassland Reserve Program are integral to the
State of Idaho’s sage-grouse conservation efforts,” said Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter. “Voluntary
incentives for farmers and ranchers to implement additional measures on private lands to benefit sage-grouse demonstrate our
commitment to doing everything we can to prevent this species from becoming listed under the Endangered Species Act. The State
of Idaho has been a leader in western sage-grouse conservation efforts, and we will continue to support innovative and cost
effective resource conservation approaches.” Idaho
NRCS is working with state agencies and other organizations on ways to effectively improve sage-grouse populations and preserve
working ranchlands. “The USDA is committed to
helping ranchers and sage-grouse,” said Jeff Burwell Idaho NRCS State Conservationist. “We are working with our
partners to take a proactive approach to maintain these large tracts of grazing lands that support both healthy sage-grouse
populations and sustainable ranching businesses.” “The
Grassland Reserve Program is one way to protect those lands for both people and birds,” Burwell said. “Idaho NRCS
requested additional fiscal year 2011 funds for the program because of an overwhelming interest from ranchers in sage-grouse
habitat areas. Idaho’s initial allocation was $421,000.” “It is appropriate in this case to extend funding for a voluntary program that allows property owners and ranchers
to decide for themselves about participating in an effort that can benefit the numbers of sage grouse and potentially other
species, as well as their own family’s ranching operation,” said Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the U.S.
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee with oversight of the Endangered Species Act. Ranchers along with local, state and federal agencies in Idaho are working cooperatively to keep the sage-grouse
from being listed by focusing on habitat improvement. “An
endangered species listing for the sage-grouse could be very injurious to Idaho agriculture and our state’s economy.
Governor Otter and our state leaders are to be commended for their leadership in trying to head off any species listings of
this kind in Idaho,” Crapo said.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
ATTENTION CAMAS COUNTY LANDOWNERS
If you are interested in learning
more about the NRCS Sage Grouse Initiative, click HERE. The Camas SCD encourages you to stay up to date and informed on this matter, as it affects us all.
If you have further questions, contact Kaylin Dennis at the SCD office 208-764-3223, email camasscd@yahoo.com or call Steve Thompson, NRCS District Conservationist 208-934-8481
Thursday, June 16, 2011
TREE RAFFLE
The Camas
SCD is holding a tree raffle! Two gorgeous flowering crabapple trees, three decorative shrubs and a beautiful hanging
basket are all to be raffled off on JULY 2, 2011 at the Music Festival in the City
Park!
Tickets are $1 each, or 6 for $5, a great deal! the trees can be seen at
the SCD Office 403 Soldier Road.
Contact any SCD supervisor or Kaylin to get your tickets! 208-764-3223-- or at the Iron
Mountain Inn, on Highway 20. (Jerry Young)
The trees have been donated in part by Camas Creek Farms,
a local nursery owned by Rick Potter. For more information on Camas Creek Farms, please
call 208-471-0124
POSTER CONTEST WINNERS!!
5 out of 7 Camas Elementary fifth graders turned in very artistic and unique posters for this year's annual
poster contest. Kaylin Dennis, Camas SCD Administrator and Information & Education Specialist, spent an afternoon
teaching the kids about the NACD Poster Contest Theme,
"Forests for People;
More Than You Can Imagine!"
The kids enjoyed several hand-outs, work books and fun facts about
forests, and each student (and of course, the teacher, Bridget Smith!) received FREE Quaking Aspen Trees!!
2011 WINNERS
1st Place : Madison Smith
2nd Place: Autumn
Brandhagen
3rd Place: Chyane Amundson
The top 3 posters advance to Division IV competition, then state, and possibly
nationals!
Thank you to ALL the students who participated, and thank you to Bridget Smith, fearless 5th Grade leader
Thursday, April 28, 2011
LASt DAy to BuY TreEs!
If you haven't ordered your trees yet, today
will be the last day we are accepting orders! call Kaylin at 764-3223 to order today!
1:12 pm edt
Thursday, April 14, 2011
 Sandhill Cranes dancing on Soldier Creek
(maybe because
the SUN was shining!!?)
8:15 pm edt
TREE OF THE WEEK!Blue Spruce Blue spruce is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing to 25–30 m (82–98 ft) tall, exceptionally to 46 m (151 ft) tall, and with a
trunk diameter of up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in). The bark is thin and gray, with narrow vertical furrows. The crown is conic in young trees, becoming cylindric in older
trees. The shoots are stout, orange-brown, usually glabrous, and with prominent pulvini. The leaves are needle-like, 15–30 millimetres (0.59–1.2 in) long, stout, rhombic in cross-section, dull gray-green
to bright glaucous blue (very variable from tree to tree in wild populations), with several lines of stomata; the tip is viciously sharp.The cones are pendulous, slender cylindrical, 6–11 cm (2.4–4.3 in) long and 2 cm (0.79 in) broad
when closed, opening to 4 cm (1.6 in) broad. They have thin, flexible scales 20–24 mm (0.79–0.94 in)
long, with a wavy margin. They are reddish to violet, maturing pale brown 5–7 months after pollination. The seeds are black, 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long, with a slender, 10–13 mm (0.39–0.51 in) long
pale brown wing.
GREEN SPRUCE
Formlarge evergreen specimen tree maturing at 50' tall by 20' wide as a general rule, but cultivars
are often smaller, and the species form in the wild will grow much larger - upright pyramidal
growth habit in youth and often maintaining this form through maturity, but sometimes with age becoming conical with the lower
branches drooping
- arrangement of the natural branching of this pyramidal tree (without early
shearing for increased density) varies from irregular, open, and very bold, to distinctly and beautifully layered, to dense
and merging as if a solid unit
- slow growth rate
Culture full sun to partial sun - prefers a moist,
acidic, well-drained soil in full sun, but can tolerate many adverse conditions, including dry soils, soils of various pH,
and Winter salt spray
- usually propagated by grafting cultivar cuttings onto seedling understock,
but selected species forms are also propagated by seeds, for use as less expensive trees of mixed foliage color or as rootstock
for grafting
- Pine Family, with several pests, of which spider mites are the worst, causing
an overall decline in the new growth during mid-Summer, and several diseases, of which needle cast and trunk canker are the
worst
- abundantly available, primarily in ball and burlap form but increasingly in container
form
- Blue Spruce is sometimes not sheared at the nursery in youth, since it is naturally dense
even at a young age, but it is often lightly sheared to promote even more fullness at transplant age
- an annual spray program for spider mites might be implemented in landscapes where Blue Spruce is either of specimen
quality and age, or is planted in sufficient numbers in close proximity to warrant this annual financial investment
- Blue Spruce is somewhat tolerant of Winter salt spray, with green-foliaged forms being less tolerant (since they
have less coating of needle wax) than blue or blue-silver forms
Foliage evergreen needles to 1.25" long, very stiff and sharp, uniformly
distributed around the stem, radiating perpendicular to the stem for a prickly effect and therefore painful to grasp with
a bare hand, or to manuever at transplanting without the advantage of supplemental gloves --variants
almost always have intense blue or silvery-blue foliage that is especially vibrant on new growth Flowers
ornamentally inconspicuous, concentrated in the upper one-third of mature trees, monoecious, with staminate
flowers orange and in the leaf axils, and pistillate flowers green or pink-purple and on the stem termini Fruits straight cones grow to about 3"
long and are light green when immature, become brown or tan with maturity, and abscisce slowly from the ends of branches in
the upper canopy Twigs young
twigs are light green to light blue and may emerge semi-pendulous, becoming straight and stiff by Summer - seasoned twigs are light brown with an orange cast, with raised needle scars on the older stems that have defoliated
their needles
Trunk thick
gray scales with age are often hidden by the lower branches and foliage, unless the tree is limbed up
7:37 pm edt
Thursday, April 7, 2011
~~Tree of the Week~~Everybody's Favorite: The Quaking Aspen
Camas County has many diverse and unique soil types. One thing that seems to grow about anywhere is the Quaking Aspen. It thrives creek-side and in glens and high valleys. (Zones 1-7) It does well in yard landscapes and
provides excellent summer shade, and to say the least--it's a quick growing easy keeper that can reach up to 50+ feet!
INFORMATION LINK
Quaking aspen is valued for its white bark and brilliant fall color, especially when clustered. The
species been widely used in landscaping but is best in sites away from structures that might be damaged by the aggressive
roots. The trees provide good visual screening and noise abatement.
Aspen stands are good firebreaks, often dropping crown fires in conifer
stands to the ground when they reach aspens and even sometimes extinguishing the fire because of the small amount of flammable
accumulation. They allow more ground water recharge than do conifer forests and they also play a significant role in protecting
against soil erosion. They have been used in restoration of riparian habitats. Wildlife: Young quaking aspen provides
food and habitat for a variety of wildlife: black bear, deer, beaver, porcupine, elk, moose, ruffed grouse and many smaller
birds and animals, including small mammals such as mice, voles, shrews, chipmunks, and rabbits. Bark, buds, new sprouts, twigs
from the tops of fallen or logged trees, and fallen leaves all are wildlife foods. Ethnobotanic: Native Americans used Populus bark (including aspen) as a food source. They cut the inner bark into strips, dried and ground it into meal to be
mixed with other starches for bread or mush. Catkins were eaten raw, and the cambium was eaten raw or in a soup.
Click
HERE for even more information on the beautiful Quaking Aspen
ORDER TODAY...quantities are limited. email camasscd@yahoo.com for an order form, or stop by our OFFICE at 403 Soldier Road. (south entrance to Strickland Realty building), or feel free
to call 208-764-3223.
2:11 pm edt
The Camas Soil Conservation District will be holding their regular board meeting April
19, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. at their office 403 Soldier Rd. Fairfield, ID. For more information, please call 764-3223.
12:36 pm edt
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
we love positive feedback!!
One of our Tree Sale Customers has reported:
NANKING CHERRY is a great growing success on the CAMAS PRAIRIE!
Nanking Cherry, or Prunus tomentosa, is a beautiful flowering
Nanking Cherry shrub that produces edible fruit. The fruit of the Nanking cherry is commonly used for human consumption in
pies and jellies. Nanking Cherry is good for wildlife plantings and windbreaks. Nanking cherry is moderate in its longevity,
having moderate water requirements, and a low salt & alkali tolerance. Plant 6-8' apart for hedges and windbreaks.
Nanking cherry is so tough that it will even grow under semiarid conditions and endure a snowless winter
of -40°F followed by a scathing summer six months later Generally, the bushes grow about 8 feet high
and wide and bear grape-size fruit with a refreshing flavor somewhere between sweet and tart. The pinkish white flowers
and subsequent fruit are borne in such profusion as to practically hide the stems.
Click HERE for an informative how-to on planting your Cherry
You still have plenty of time to make TREE ORDERS! Pick up date is April 29, 2011, here at the SCD office 403 Soldier Road. (south door of Strickland Realty building)
2:45 pm edt
1:42 pm edt
Deadline ApproachingThere is available technical assistance through the NRCS for sage grouse conservation on private land through state and federal programs. A meeting was held March 24th, but
there is still time before the assistance application deadline of April 15, 2011.
Two of the main topics discussed at this meeting were support offered through the NRCS's Sage Grouse Initiative and the US Fish & Wildlife Service's Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances that could affect landowners if
the Sage-Grouse is listed in the future.
If you are a landowner interested in the support from the Natural Resource
Conservation Service regarding the Sage-Grouse Initiative, please contact Steve Thompson, NRCS agent at 208-934-8481 ext. 114 or email him at stephen.thompson@id.usda.gov
1:10 pm edt
Friday, March 25, 2011
LILACS *** A LOCAL FAVORITEAlthough it blooms later than other areas, LILACS in Camas County can be seen in abundance in late May and throughout the month of June.
Lilacs are very fragrant and beautiful, and serve
as great wind breaks and a very low maintenance planting. click HERE for an informative write up about the Common Lilac as well as pictures and planting
information.
1:56 pm edt
mmmm~~ APPLE PIETree of the Week!
Yellow Transparent Apple
Hardiness Zone 4
Growing seasons are shorter in Camas County, so a variety of apple tree that blooms
early, grows large fruit and is very disease resistant is always a good bet.
This apple is tart, good for baking and
sauces, and is an excellent keeper.
The Yellow Transparent Apple, Malus 'Yellow Transparent', has a skin that
is clear yellow, and the flesh is white. The Yellow Transparent tree is very upright, precocious, and productive, so therefore,
is a very heavy producer. It is an early yellow apple, ripening around the first week in July. The fruit is tender, juicy,
and mildly acid, making it a favorite for homemade applesauce and cooking. Pick before maturity for better storage life. Harvest
time is mid-June to July.
Careful early training, annual pruning and shaping are required to insure a healthy and productive
tree. It is scab resistant. Plant about a month after the first killing frost in the fall or about a month before the last
killing frost in the spring. Select a planting site that has good air, drainage, full sunlight and deep, well drained soil.
ORDER FORM
1:38 pm edt
Friday, March 18, 2011
TrEe { SHRUB} oF ThE WeEk!!
this week, we will be featuring one of the wonderful shrubs that are on our list of plants for sale:
~~~AROMATIC SUMAC~~~
Aromatic Sumac is a shrub that best likes Hardiness Zone 4
here is a link to hardiness zones:
it is a deciduous early spring bloomer, and will ultimately
grow to 4-5 feet tall and 5-7 feet wide. It is ornamental and attracts birds and butterflies, and does not
require a lot of water. It produces small berries that can be foraged by birds and wildlife.
The Camas Soil Conservation
District is selling 2-3 foot Aromatic Sumac in bundles of 5 for $10.00. (price includes shipping)
for pictures of Aromatic
Sumac, and added planting information, visit
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RHAR4
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Congratulations to STEVE MILLER! He
has been elected the National Association of Conservation District's Secretary/Treasurer! www.http://www.nacdnet.org/
Steve is currently Camas SCD's Chairman elect, and has served on the Conservation District in Camas
County since the Camas Prairie had Native Americans roaming free and gathering Camas Lily roots! :-)
We are very proud
of Steve.
Please read an article on this exciting event here:
http://iascd.wordpress.com/2011/02/11/steve-miller-of-fairfield-idaho-elected-as-nacd-secretarytreasurer/
this article is from the Idaho Association of Soil Conservation District's
(IASCD) Blog, which has many other interesting articles concerning all things that affect Soil Conservation Districts.
It is a good way to keep up to date on legislative on-goings and useful information.
IASCD Blog :
http://iascd.wordpress.com/
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
NRCS PRESS RELEASE! SAGE GROUSE INFOFor Immediate Release
Contact:
Steve Thompson, District Conservationist, 208.934.8481
ext. 114 NRCS
LOCAL WORKING GROUP MEETING SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 9, 2010 Gooding, Idaho, March 7, 2011 — Landowners are invited to hear
about available technical and financial assistance for sage-grouse conservation on private lands through state and federal
programs. The meeting is scheduled for March 24, 2011 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the
Community Campus, 1050 Fox Acres Road in Hailey. Two of the main topics at the meeting will be support offered
through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Sage-grouse Initiative and the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s
Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances that could affect landowners if the sage-grouse is listed in the future.
For more information on the meeting, please contact Steve Thompson, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 208.934.8481 ext. 114.
3:13 pm est
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Office Hours: Tuesday--Thursday 9:30-2:00 Telephone: 208-764-3223 Fax: 208-764-3223 email: camasscd@yahoo.com
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